the Israeli assessment at IOC:
“”It’s all concentrated on one table for us. As we all know, the F-35 can reach places in a way that others can’t. But in addition, it integrates high-level operational capabilities as well as the ability to read and analyze a battle map. The earlier, fourth-generation jets are excellent at maneuvering and activating sophisticated weapons systems, but they are not able to collect intelligence and independently analyze battle movement. The F-35 can do all this by itself in real time, with only one pilot sitting in the cockpit. We have never had such an operational capability until today. Until now, attack aircraft were operated independently of air support aircraft. The former waited to receive analysis of the battle picture that came from the latter. But in the F-35, everything is on the same platform, and this is no less than amazing. When you connect that to several aircraft, you receive strategic capability for the State of Israel.”
This platform was designed as a strike aircraft. And it is superior to any in its class.
Its sensors and fusion technology exceeds that of the F-22, and when flying together the F-22 will leverage the F-35’s view of the battle space.
When flying alone as a fighter it will detect hostile aircraft and launch against them before the bad guy even knows he is there.
But its forte is deep interdiction and strike.
There is a reason countries are lining up to buy the F-35 and foregoing thinking about lower cost, less advanced planes like the F-18 or Gripen, and the Israeli assessment laid it out.
The plane is not without faults, of those it has plenty. But the upside is very high.
I heard someone say once (and I paraphrase) “If you get into a dogfight with an F-35, you have already squandered all the things that give it advantages.”